Ski boot toe safety clamping device

ABSTRACT

IN A SKI HARNESS, A SKI BOOT TOE SAFETY CLAMPING DEVICE WHICH CAN BE RELEASED BY THE USER, FOR INSTANCE BY MEANS OF A SKI POLE TO DISENGAGE THE BOOT.

Sept? 1971 G. P. J. SALOMON 3,606,361

. SKI BOOT T OE SAFETY CLAMPING DEVICE 'FiledJan. 5, 1969 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] 12 11 a 3 no.2-

INVENTOR. Georges Pd. SALOMON p 1971 G. P. J. SALOMON sx: BOOT TOE.SA FETY CLAMPING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1969 FIG.3

lllila a! ltlib FIGJ.

INVENTOR. (Seorgzs PJ- SALOMON AgQnT P 20, 1971 G. P-. J.ISALOMON v v 3,606,367

' SKI BOOT Tom SAFETY CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Jan. :5, 1969 SSheets-Sheot s Q S v I Q a f/ F W27 2 FIG.5I

INVENTOR. Georg s PJ- SALOMON BY Q Aqe T Se t. 20, 1971 G. P. J. SALOMON q 5, 7

I SKI BOOT TOE SAFETY CLAMPING DEVICE-- I Filed Jan. ;5, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

FIG. 8

INVENTOR. v George PJSALOMON BY QM l Aq 4 n1 P 1971 G. P. J. SALOMON 3,606,367 I SKI BOOT TOE SAFETY CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1969 5 Shoots-Shoot 5 .1191! Ill;

47 57 48 46 .50 42 40- FIG.1O

IN VENTOR.

Unite clStates Patent 015cc 3,606,367 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 Int. Cl. A63c 9/04 US. Cl. 28011.35T 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a ski harness, a ski boot toe safety clamping device which can be released by the user, for instance by means of a ski pole to disengage the boot.

Most known front or ski boot toe safety clamping devices cannot be open for the normal release of the skiers boot, these clamping devices opening only under torsion forces considered as dangerous, whereas the normal boot releasing operation is effected by the opening of the back clamping device of the ski harness.

However, it is much easier to provide the mechanism for the normal foot release on the front clamping device in the case in which the back clamping device has a system which automatically opens the same when the boot comes out of engagement therewith, such a system being described in US. Pat. No. 3,545,780, issued on Dec. 8, 1970 and filed under Ser. No. 724,000.

The object of the present invention is to provide a ski boot toe safety clamping device having a mechanism for the normal release of the boot toe.

In accordance with the present invention, the ski boot toe safety clamping device comprises a mechanism allowing the escape of at least one reaction piece of the locking device and, therefore, the total or partial cancellation of the retaining forces exerted by said locking device on the boot toe retaining member, said mechanism being preferably actuated by the end of a ski pole.

The invention will become clearer by referring to the annexed description and to the enclosed schematic drawings showing non-limitative preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings,

FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan and longitudinal sections respectively of a front safety clamping device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan section of the same clamping device shown in open position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan section of a second embodiment of a front clamping device;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of the clamping device of FIG. 4, during opening movement;

FIG. 6 is a top plan section of the same second embodiment in open position;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side elevation and top plan view respectively of a third embodiment; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are side elevations, partially in longitudinal section and a top plan view respectively of the device of FIGS. 7 and 8 during opening movement.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamping member 1, of the same type and of the same mode of operation as described in US. Pat. No. 3,455,570, issued July 15, 1969 is pivoted transversely of the ski about a stud shaft 2 secured to a base plate 3.

Springs 6, disposed between cup-shaped members 7 and washers 8, the latter bearing against a fixed element 9, in turn resting against bosses or abutments 10 of the clamping member 1, serve to retain the clamping member 1 in ski boot toe retaining position aligned with the latter.

As illustrated and explained in the above patent, an abnormal twisting stress on the boot of the skier causes rotation of the clamping member 1, transversely of the ski about the stud shaft 2 and against the bias of one of the springs 6 which is compressed by the associated cupshaped member 7 moving towards the fixed element '9. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the bosses or abutments 10 are segment-shaped bosses formed integral with the clamping member 1 and extending into the path of the washers 8 to engage diametrically opposed edge portions of the latter.

Fixed element 9 is secured to a plate 11 which is transversely pivotable about stud shaft 2 and is locked against rotation by means of a pin 12 of a slide block 13. The slide block 13 can be slidably displaced in the direction of arrow 16, for example by means of the end of a ski pole acting in the direction of arrow 17 in a recess 18 made in slide block 13, the latter urged into its initial position by springs 19 located in cavities of the slide block 13, acting on the same and bearing against upright ears 20 of the base plate 3, said ears furthermore guiding, together with stud shaft 2, the slide block 13 in a longitudinal direction.

When, as shown in FIG. 3, is is desired to release the clamping device from the boot, the slide block 13 is displaced in the direction of arrow 16; the pin 12, secured to said slide block, moves out of the notch 21 of plate 11 and the latter is free to pivot about stud shaft 2 and, therefore, allows opening of the clamping member 1 Without causing compression of springs 6.

Moreover, pin 12, maintained by springs 19 against one or the other of the ramps 22 of plate 11, tends to return the latter into its initial position in which pin 12, which is always urged by springs 19, engages the notch 21 of plate 11, thus retaining the clamping member 1 in its closed position.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, element 9 is fixedly mounted directly on the base plate 26 of the clamping member 27; but the above-noted bosses or abutments are formed by two arms 28 and 29 pivotally mounted on a common shaft 30 for simultaneous outward pivotal movement by means of a pushed member 31. The latter is mounted on a shaft 32 of arm 28 and receives the action or push exerted in the direction of arrow 33 by a ski pole, partially shown in dot-and-dash line at 34.

A return spring 36 causes the arms 28, 29 to return to their initial position.

When the two arms are in spaced-apart position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, they no longer retain the washers 37 against which bear the locking springs 38. The clamping member 27 can therefore be easily opened. However, this opening movement causes slight compression of the locking springs 38, because fixed element 9 produces a slight spacing of washers 37 and said compression serves to return the clamping member in its initial closed position.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, clamping member 40 is substantially identical to the clamping member 1 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; the locking springs, not shown, bear against a reaction element which is not secured to the base plate 41 but is secured to a plate 42, itself pivotally movable about a stud shaft 43 serving also as the pivotal shaft for clamping member 40.

Plate 42 is locked against rotation during the use of the clamping member 40 by two arms 46 of an element 47, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 48 carried by two extensions 49 of the base plate 41. Arms 46 engage two corresponding ramps 50 formed by curved parts of plate 42; the latter is thus locked against rotation and, therefore, the fixed element, which is secured to said base plate, acts as a reaction member for the locking springs of the clamping device.

In order to open the latter to release the boot toe, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, it is only necessary for the user to engage the outer end 56 of a ski pole into a suitable notch or cavity 57 of element 47 and to press in the direction of arrow 33 with the ski pole. Element 47 pivots and its arms 46 disengage ramps 50 of plate 42. The latter is now free to rotate and therefore no longer provides a reaction member for the spring means of the locking device. The user can therefore easily remove his foot from the clamping member 40. However, after the pressure exerted by the ski pole has ceased, a spiral spring 58 surrounding the pivot shaft 48 of element 47, returns the latter into its initial position, and due to the symmetrical construction of the system arms 46ramps 50, returns the clamping member 40 into its closed position in which said arms 46, fully engaged with the ramps 50, positively block plate 42 against pivotal movement.

The forms, dimensions, proportions and presentation of the different constitutive elements of the invention and the materials or combination of materials used for making these elements, together with the treatment of said materials, can be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Moreover, the clamping devices can be used in any possible manner on all types of skis and may be provided with auxiliary devices for control or otherwise, without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A ski boot toe safety clamping device comprising, in combination, a base plate, pivot means secured to said base plate and defining a pivot axis extending normally thereof, an abutment member arranged to be fixedly mounted relative to said base plate, a boot toe retaining assembly transversely pivoted relative to a ski about said pivot axis and carrying a first spring means engaging said abutment member and biasing said assembly towards a ski boot toe retaining position, a retractable latch element movably mounted relative to said transversely pivoted assembly in releasable locking engagement with the latter, and a second spring means engaging said retractable latch element and biasing the latter into locking engagement with said transversely pivoted retaining assembly, whereby the retraction of said latch element allows relatively easy pivoting of said boot toe retaining assembly for disengagement of a ski boot.

2. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said boot toe retaining assembly includes a clamping member carrying said first spring means and a supporting plate on Which said abutment member is fixedly mounted, said clamping member and said supporting plate are pivotally mounted about said pivot axis and relative to each other, and said retractable latch element is movably mounted on said base plate and is arranged in releasable locking engagement wtih said supporting plate.

3. A clamping device as defined in claim 2, wherein said supporting plate is formed with a notch at the edge thereof, said retractable latch element includes a block slidably mounted on said base plate, and a pin fixed to said slidable block and arranged to engage into said notch.

4. A clamping device as defined in claim 3, wherein the edge of said supporting plate is formed with a ramp on each side of said notch, said pin is engageable with said ramps and urged against the same by said second spring means and said retractable latch element is arranged to cause return of said pin into locking engagement in said notch.

5. A clamping device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first spring means includes two spiral springs carried in end-to-end relation by said transversely pivoted clamping member, said abutment member extends between the proximate ends of said two spiral springs, said block is provided with a ski pole engaging recess and with a pair of parallel grooves therein away fro-m said pin, a pair of ears are fixed onto said base plate and extend into said grooves, and said second spring means is a pair of spiral springs fixed longitudinally into said grooves between one end thereof and said ears and arranged to bias said block and said pin towards said notch.

6. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said first spring means consists of two spiral springs carried in end-to-end relation by said transversely retaining assembly, with the outer ends of said spiral springs engaging against said assembly, said abutment member is fixed onto said base plate and extends between the proximate ends of said two spiral springs, said retractable latch element includes a pair of interconnected movable abutment members transversely displaceable relative to said two spiral springs and arranged to extend into releasable locking engagement with the proximate ends of said helical springs and to be retracted out of the path of the latter, whereby to allow transverse movement of said retaining assembly relative to said base plate against a relatively slight bias of said two spiral springs.

7. A clamping device as defined in claim -6, wherein said interconnected movable abutment members pivotally mounted relative to each other on said ski boot toe retaining assembly for transversal displacement therewith, a ski pole actuatable element is pivotally connected to said movable abutment members to cause the movement thereof transversely of said spiral springs, said abutment member fixed to the base plate is arranged to cause slighter compression of said first springs than said movable abutment members upon transverse pivoting of said retaining assembly, and said second spring means is positioned in abutment between said pair of movable abutment members to urge the latter into said releasable locking engagement.

8. A clamping device as defined in claim 2, wherein said supporting plate is formed with a pair of ramp means laterally thereof and said retractable latch element has a pair of spaced arms arranged to engage said pair of ramp means on diametrically opposite sides of said pivot axis to lock said supporting plate against rotation.

'9. A clamping device as defined in claim 8, wherein said retractable latch element includes a ski pole actuatable member pivotally mounted on said base plate about a transverse substantially horizontal axis, said arms are secured to said ski pole actuatable member and are pivotable therewith, and said second spring means is a spiral spring acting on said ski pole actuatable member to urge said spaced arms against said ramp means to cause locking of said supporting plate against rotation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,105,696 10/1963 Rehacek 280l1.35

3,317,217 5/196 7 Poiger 280-1l.35

' 3,455,570 7/1969 Salomon 2801l.35

FOREIGN PATENTS 673,643 8/1962 Italy 28011.35

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner -R. R. SONG, Assistant Examiner are p 

